A couple days after Tim Lincecum's pitching showcase, it's unclear if the San Francisco Giants are any closer to signing the former two-time Cy Young Award Winner.
While the team's starting rotation -- namely, Matt Cain and Jake Peavy -- has struggled all season long, the Giants aren't ready to guarantee Lincecum a rotation spot. What they can promise the former ace, though, is that if he suits up with the Orange and Black, he will still have his signature No. 55.
With a 2016 return looming for Lincecum, clubhouse coordinator Brad Grems made the right-hander's jersey number off limits, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The other two numbers currently unavailable to other Giants players are Jeremy Affeldt's No. 41 and Barry Bonds' No. 25. Before the season began, Grems had to run those numbers by MLB equipment manager Alan Lee, making it official.
The Giants are one of many teams reportedly interested in Lincecum, who had an impressive 41-pitch session Friday at Scottsdale Stadium. Lincecum maintained velocity in the low-90s in front of a collection of scouts and front office members from over 20 ball clubs.